Angelenos Have Spoken: Make the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog the Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles
Farmer John Partners with Los Angeles Dodger Andre Ethier To Launch a Campaign for an Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog is one of L.A.'s most-beloved culinary icons and now Angelenos can make it official. Local food company Farmer John has teamed up with Los Angeles Dodger and self-proclaimed foodie Andre Ethier to launch a campaign to make the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog the Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles. Beginning today, Ethier will kick off a whistle stop tour to rally the people to sign the petition at www.votelahotdog.org, and in return, for every signature collected in support of the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog, Farmer John will make a donation -- up to 25,000 pounds -- to local food banks.

"As a long-standing part of the Southern California community Farmer John has been dedicated to providing delicious products to the residents of Los Angeles for nearly 80 years, and we are thrilled to partner with a food lover like Andre to make the pairing of two great foods, hot dogs and bacon, an official part of Los Angeles history," said Ian Lavallee, senior product manager of Farmer John. "We think this is a campaign that all Angelenos can stand behind."

Ethier, a 2010 MLB All-Star and avid philanthropist, was drawn to the campaign, not only for the opportunity to make a local fan favorite hot dog the Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles, but also for the charitable aspect. For every vote received, Farmer John has committed to donate one pound of food(1) to various Los Angeles-based food banks, including Union Rescue Mission, in an effort to give back to those in need.

"From the amazing people to world-class food, I love everything about the great city of Los Angeles," said Ethier. "That is why I chose to partner with Farmer John on its campaign to make the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog an official part of our city's history, while at the same time, providing food to people who need it the most."

The campaign begins today, and the petition will be open through November 2nd, Election Day, when the official results will be announced and Los Angeles will learn if its beloved Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog will take its rightful place in city history. Fans should go to www.votelahotdog.org to make their vote heard.

About Farmer John

Farmer John, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), is headquartered in Los Angeles. Farmer John produces more than 1,200 items for the retail and foodservice channels in the western United States. Offering an array of fresh and value-added protein products, the Farmer John® Brand holds leadership positions in many categories. The world-famous Dodger Dogs® are one of the many products marketed under the Farmer John® Brand. The company employs more than 1,500 people in Southern California. For additional information, please visit www.farmerjohn.com.

About Andre Ethier

Andre Ethier made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006 and quickly established himself as a major contributor to the Dodger lineup. He has since become a key offensive spark for the Dodgers and in 2009, was awarded the NL Silver Slugger and was voted MLB's Pepsi Clutch Player of the year. In 2010, Ethier was voted in as a starter in his first MLB All-Star game. Andre's enormous popularity off the field stems from his many charitable activities as well as his wildly popular MLB blog called 'Dining with Dre,' where he reviews many of the restaurants he discovers during his travels.